OpenFieldUniversity of Manitoba Faculty Association
The University of Manitoba Faculty Association (UMFA) is the certified academic bargaining agent and scholarly professional collective advocating for higher education quality, research governance, and academic freedom in Manitoba.
Academic overview & excellence
Representing more than 1,200 full-time academic staff, research professors, and librarians at the University of Manitoba's Fort Garry and Bannatyne campuses, UMFA champions collegiate governance, public research funding, and scholarly integrity. Founded in 1951, UMFA fosters academic development through specialized research awards, labor equity initiatives, and higher education policy symposia.
Research admissions & criteria
UMFA awards and research grants are available to full-time faculty members, postdoctoral scholars, and academic professionals appointed at the University of Manitoba. Collaborative awards involve peer-reviewed adjudication with provincial, national (CAUT), and international academic bodies.
Verified opportunities & funding programs (6)
UMFA Academic Freedom and Scholarly Inquiry Fellowship
Prestigious fellowship supporting scholarly investigations into constitutional academic freedom, university governance models, and intellectual integrity across Canadian higher education.
Prairie Ecological Resilience and Agriculture Research Grant
Research grant investigating regenerative soil practices, drought-resistant crop cultivation, and watershed management across the Red River basin.
Postdoctoral Labor Economics and Faculty Governance Fellowship
One-year postdoctoral residency researching collective bargaining trends, public sector wage analytics, and academic tenure structures in North America.
Prairie Biomedical Sciences Faculty Collaborative Award
Seed funding supporting early-stage collaborative biomedical research in molecular immunology, viral pathogenesis, and Northern indigenous health outcomes.
Computational Data Science and Quantitative Labor Analytics Grant
Computational grant deploying machine learning and quantitative modeling to analyze salary parity, gender equity, and pension sustainability in academia.
Indigenous Pedagogy and Prairie Community Research Fellowship
Faculty fellowship advancing Indigenous curriculum decolonization, traditional ecological knowledge integration, and community partnerships across Treaty 1 Territory.
Distinguished faculty & researchers (3)
Dr. Orvie Dingwall
Senior Academic Governance and Health Sciences Specialist · Health Sciences Libraries & Academic Staff
Dr. Orvie Dingwall is a prominent health information specialist and past UMFA president, leading research into systematic health evidence syntheses, biomedical library resources, and academic bargaining.
Dr. Michael Shaw
Chair of Faculty Rights and Physics Education · Department of Physics & Astronomy
Dr. Michael Shaw is an esteemed physics educator and faculty rights advocate, directing investigations into quantum mechanics instructional design, laboratory pedagogy, and collegiate self-governance.
Dr. Julie Guard
Professor of Labor Studies and Social History · Faculty of Arts, Labor Studies Program
Dr. Julie Guard conducts renowned research in Canadian working-class history, consumer politics, public sector union dynamics, and gender equity in university governance.
Editorial & verification standards
Institution profile and program records reflect official documentation verified on 2026-10-15. OpenField is an independent student academic resource and is not formally affiliated with University of Manitoba Faculty Association.